Are Testicles Really Necessary? A Thirtyish Male Confronts His Fondness for Journey

Cafe Society
#1

Last week on Scrubs, you found out that J.D. is a manic Journey fan, and of course nothing could have made more sense in the world… but are dames truly the only creatures on the planet who can hum “Don’t Stop Believin” softly to themselves without fear of being laughed at or having their underwear pulled over their head?
You have to wonder whether the band in question wouldn’t be at least somewhat respected among classic rock literati if not for a handful of ridiculously popular power ballads and creamy mid-tempo numbers, thereby cementing their legacy as Prom Theme Lords of All Space and Time. I submit that, at the risk of sounding like an overly defensive Chicago fan or something (that’s next week’s mea culpa), the majority of their non-singles are fairly rockin. Aren’t they?

Sigh.

hands balls over resignedly

#2

Well, both Neil Schon and Greg Rollie played with Santana waaaaay back when (I think Rollie is actually in the Woodstock footage), so we know that they have talent. Why they hooked up with Stever Perry is beyond me.

#3

The first few Journey albums are so far removed from the Top 40 band they became, it’s startling.

#4

Overly-defensive Chicago fan? Is there any other kind?

#5

Don’t worry, Moody Bastard, someday, love will find you/ break those chains that bind you. :smiley:

#6

At first I thought the OP was going to be about a cross-country horseback ride…

Journey was a kickass band until “Open Arms” hit big and from then on they were known only for their love ballads. Then Steve Perry became a mega control freak and destroyed their rock sound with the schmaltzy albums “Raised on Radio” and “Trial by Fire”. Such is the fate of many arena rock bands who wind up chasing that elusive top 40 hit.

The “new” Journey with Steve Augieri is pretty good, though. He sounds like Steve Perry with a perm!

#7

Journey does indeed kick ass. They suffer the same fate as Foreigner, Styx, Night Ranger and a bunch of other bands - the band’s biggest hits are ballads so people not that familiar with their music thinks all their music is like that.

Don’t worry… I’m a woman and I don’t think any less of any male who likes these bands. I am one of the women who yawns and goes off to the t-shirt booth when they pull out the ballads. I want to rock, dammit.

And yes, Raised on Radio is pretty crappy… and yes, Augeri is great.

#8

Just popped back in to say VH1 Classic is currently playing “Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin”… and Perry is wearing the tightest, shiniest black satin pants I’ve ever seen and a lipstick red shirt, unbuttoned but tied in a knot at the waist in the way every girl did in the mid 70’s.

He looks like a male prostitute. And I mean that in the best possible sense.

:smiley:

#9

Journey is a pleasure I will never feel guilty for indulging in. I was raised in a cultural vacuum, so I never really heard of them until my older brother bought their Greatest Hits. That was the right way to learn of their back catalog, that’s for sure.
And “Open Arms” is a great song, it’s just overplayed. Just because something has become a cliche doesn’t make it bad. It’s not Journey’s fault their music has been played to death on oldies stations. Are they supposed to feel guilty they sold millions of albums? If I were in their position and ever felt like that, I think a little cruise in my Bentley would help me get over it.

Besides, how could anyone hate the band that gave the world one of the funniest music videos ever, that of “Seperate Ways”?

#10

Dammit, Dung Beetle. People who get Journey songs stuck in my head go on THE LIST.

#11

Perhaps that’s the way it is in the alternate universe that you inhabit, but it doesn’t bear much resemblence to what actually happened.

Steve Perry is and was anything but a major control freak. If anything he had less say then Neil Schon who is the only member of Journey who has been with the band in all of it’s incarnations.

The other members of Journey, Schon in particular weren’t thrilled with Perry’s decision to release a solo album (in Street Talk) in 1984. Actually they didn’t mind all that much, but Schon thought that Perry’s hit Oh Sherrie soundede way too much like a Journey song and thought it should have been saved for the next Journey album.

As those who watched the Behind The Music episode about Journey may recall, Perry left the band because his mother was quite sick and he was also burned out. After the reunion album, Perry found out he had a degenerative medical condition which would have been made much worse if he had gone on an extensive tour. However, he wasn’t quite upfront with the other members of Journey about his condition and it (his condition) being the reason he didn’t want to tour.

All of that being said, I think Journey is a damn fine rock band and I’m a guy. I feel no shame or embarassment in owning 3 of their CD’s.

#12

I have to say, Mr. Evil Breakfast, that Steve Perry’s sensitive-guy-just-dealin-the-hand-life-dealt-me account of his medical problems struck me as a wee lame. You get the feeling the guy became a cloistered, raging hypochondriac during the band’s salad days.

Speaking of their Behind the Music special, what the frig was up with Jonathan Cain’s Joan Crawford imitation over the sick kid?! I mean, I know he died and it was a tragedy and all but holy CRAP, get a hold of yourself, brother! Cain was blubberin’ like his entire family just went down on an ocean liner.

#13

Sorry guys. Journey conjures up big hair, doing that “making a fist and pulling it towards yourself to show you’re REALLY passionate” thing from the 80s, and power ballads. I feel the urge to pants each and every one of you…

#14

Celine Dion pays them a monthly royalty rate for that one.

#15

I’ve always preferred Styx to Journey. If you think Journey gets a bad rap, think about how much Styx gets made fun of!

I bet Dr. Righteous would agree! :wink:

#16

I heard (or read) someone say recently that the ultimate cocaine mix tape would be “Don’t Stop Believin’”

#17

…played over and over again. Sorry. Hit “submit” too soon.

#18

“And so, by oral tradition, the crap is passed through pop generations…”

#19

I confess, I like a lot of their work too…

#20

Well there’s that big fun happy scene at the end of Caddyshack, where they play"Anyway You Want It", and the golf clubs come shooting out of Dangerfield’s bag and everybody’s partying even though the golf course just blew up. Good times.

When I was 14 they were absolutely my favorite band, you betcha. These days I only catch them on Two-fer Tuesdays.